ID Card Printer Reviews - Top Brands & New Models Reviewed

Wondering which ID card printer is the best choice for your organization’s needs? You’ve come to the right place.

Here at ID Card Group, we review new printer models from all the major brands – Fargo/HID, Evolis, Magicard, Zebra, Datacard and more.

Our resident tech support expert, Jeramie Ivie, puts the printers through their paces in a real office environment and then posts his review to help you select the best printer for your needs.

“I see a lot of printers and hear all of the hype. I use my printers in the field just like you do – so I try to cut to the chase in my reviews. I hope they help you out. And feel free to contact me if you have questions or need help choosing the right printer for your office needs. I’m happy to help” – Jeramie Ivie, Head of Tech Support at ID Card Group.

To make it easy to compare makes and models, you’ll find a Quick Specifications chart in each printer review. Highlighted specifications include:

Printer type
Volume
Print sides
Print speed
Maximum images per ribbon
Maximum batch size
Connections
Card thickness range

Read on to find ID card printer reviews by either printer type/volume or printer brand.

Read ID Card Printer reviews by Jeramie Ivie, ID Card Group Printer Expert

Card Printer Reviews by Printer Type/Volume

1. Value Class Direct-to-Card Printers
Low Volume/Small Batch Printing: < 1,000 Cards Annually

Review: C50 ID Card Printer by Fargo/HID
A Good Fit for Most Low Volume ID Issuance Needs – Fargo’s C50 printer replaces the super-popular Fargo C30 printer models. Using this proven design, C50 looks and works much the same as these older models. A compact, easy-to-use, entry level model.
Read the review or shop Fargo C50 now.

Read the Zebra ZXP1 ID card printer review Review: ZXP Series 1 Card Printer by Zebra
A Compact Card Printer Contender – Zebra ZXP1 printer is an update of the popular P100i with some nice added improvements, including up to 15% faster print speeds and mobile printer support.
Read the review.

Read the Magicard Pronto ID card printer review Review: Magicard Pronto Card Printer
Big Bang for Your Small-Office Buck – Small office environments may need to create only a few badges at a time. Luckily, Magicard offers a great on-site alternative for small organizations at an affordable price point.
Read the review or shop Magicard Pronto now.

Read the Evolis Badgy card printer review Review – Badgy200 Card Printer
All-in-One Card Printer is Perfect for Low-Volume Jobs – Ideal for schools, gyms, and small offices, Badgy comes with everything you need to start printing right out of the box – software, ribbon, blank cards, and cleaning kit – making it one of the first all-in-one card printers. NOTE: The original Evolis Badgy model was upgraded to the Evolis Badgy200 in late 2014.
Read the review or shop Badgy now.

2. Professional Class Direct-to-Card Printers
Standard Volume/Medium Batch Printing: 1,000 to 5,000 Cards Annually

Read the Magicard Enduro card printer review Review – Enduro Card Printer from Magicard
Consistently High Quality – A mainstay of Magicard’s printer line up, the Enduro has always been a consistent high-quality ID badge producer.
Read the review or shop Magicard Enduro Single Sided or Double Sided now.

My Go-To Printer for Short Run Jobs – With its faster output, excellent color punch, superior card coverage, and now a simple to use drop-in cartridge with RFID, the Evolis Primacy has quickly become my go-to printer for short run production jobs.
Read the review or shop Evolis Primacy now.

A Compact Powerhouse – The Evolis Zenius looks really different from Evolis’ previous sleek-design printer models. But don’t let that fool you – the Zenius is a compact powerhouse full of impressive features.
Read the review or shop Evolis Zenius now.

Read the Zebra ZXP3 printer review Review – ZXP Series 3 Card Printer from Zebra
A Real Game Changer – The ZXP 3 is a great addition to the Zebra card printer line up – and definitely a step in the right direction in terms of adding value.
Read the review.

Read the Fargo DTC1000 printer review Review: DTC1000 Card Printer by Fargo/HID Global
A Standout in its Class – The Fargo DTC1000 printer is an excellent choice for smaller organizations with simpler badge printing needs. The DTC1000 will be discontinued when sold out and is replaced by the DTC1250e below. All DTC1000 supplies will continue to be available.
Read the review.

Read the Fargo DTC1250e printer review Review: DTC1250e Card Printer by Fargo/HID Global
Fastest Card Print Speeds in its Class – If you’re shopping for an easy and affordable card printer for your small business, school, or local government – be sure to consider the Fargo DTC1250e. This printer will save you time and money.
Read the review or shop Fargo DTC1250e now.

Read the Fargo DTC4250e printer review Review: DTC4250e ID Card Printer by Fargo/HID Global
Blazing Print Speeds, High Security Features, WiFi, & More – The versatile Fargo DTC4250e card printer can produce large quantities of extremely durable credentials both quickly and easily – from basic plastic loyalty and photo ID cards to more sophisticated high-security access cards with embedded electronics
Read the review or shop Fargo DTC4250e now.

3. High Performance Direct-to-Card Printers
High Volume/Large Batch Printing: < 5,000 Cards Annually

Review – Evolis Avansia Retransfer Card Printer
Highest Quality & Volume Choice – Evolis has finally thrown its hat into the retransfer printing arena – in a big way – with the new Avansia card printer. This offering is big! Not just in scale but in volume and dots per inch (dpi). Can you say 600 dpi? 250 input/250 output hopper.
Read the review or shop Evolis Avansia now.

Read the Zebra ZXP7 review Review – ZXP Series 7 Card Printer from Zebra
Well Suited for Large Production Needs – If you are looking to do large production work, the ZXP7 printer’s impressive speed, clarity, and capacity will certainly meet your needs.
Read the review or shop Zebra ZXP7 now.

Read the Magicard Rio Pro card printer review Review – Rio Pro Card Printer from Magicard
A High-Volume Contender – The Rio Pro offers many positive features and can easily be adjusted to maintain higher quality or higher volume card printing, depending on your card print needs.
Read the review.

Review: DTC4500e ID Card Printer by Fargo/HID Global
Number 1 Choice for Large Corporations & Government Institutions – Offering high performance, production, and security with a small footprint. The 4500e is the only DTC model that offers a lamination module and locking input/output hoppers for high-level security.
Read the review or shop Fargo DTC4500e now.